Marcus stepped down the marble stairs, taking Nora's hand and helping her stand up from the floor[cite: 1]. He wrapped a protective arm around her waist, drawing her and little Maya against his chest[cite: 1].
Marcus: Nora, are you bruised from that fall?
Nora: My knees are scraped, but I don't care about that[cite: 1]. Maya isn't hurt, and that's all that matters to me[cite: 1].
Marcus: You saved our daughter's life while I was standing right here being blind[cite: 1]. I am so sorry I doubted you for even one second[cite: 1].
Nora: You were angry because you thought our baby was in danger[cite: 1]. I understand[cite: 1]. But now you see who the real danger in this house is[cite: 1].
Marcus turned his cold, uncompromising glare back toward Evelyn, who was slowly trying to edge toward the front entrance[cite: 1].
Marcus: Don't move a single inch, Evelyn[cite: 1].
Evelyn: Marcus, I am your cousin! We grew up together in this house! You can't turn on your own blood for an outsider!
Marcus: An outsider? Nora is the mother of my child and the legal co-owner of every asset under the Vance trust fund[cite: 1]. You, on the other hand, are a guest who has just committed attempted murder on camera[cite: 1].
Evelyn: It was an accident! I was trying to adjust the stroller canopy and my foot slipped!
Marcus: Save it for the jury[cite: 1]. I already pressed the silent emergency alarm on my phone the second I saw the footage[cite: 1].
Outside the grand glass archways of the mansion, red and blue emergency lights began flashing through the front trees[cite: 1]. The wail of police sirens echoed down the long driveway, cutting through the afternoon silence[cite: 1].
Evelyn: You called the police on me?! Within our own family?!
Marcus: You aren't family[cite: 1]. Family protects children[cite: 1]. You tried to push one down a flight of stairs[cite: 1].
Evelyn: I will sue you! I will hire the best defense lawyers in the state and drag your name through every tabloid in the country!
Marcus: Try it[cite: 1]. That camera feed is already backed up on three secure cloud servers[cite: 1]. The prosecutor won't even need ten minutes to convict you[cite: 1].